In Glass Cases
by Lucy Kent
Summary: A short story of what happened to Lockhart later in time.


**Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition**

 **Team: Tutshill Tornadoes**

 **Position: Seeker**

 **Word Count: 1,558**

* * *

The first time I saw her, it felt like I had been hit by lightning. I had managed to escape Lady Walk when I had seen her sitting in her glass room. She sat on a little golden chair. Even as I drew nearer to the glass, she didn't even glance in my direction. She just stared at something to the left as though the whole world was beneath her. I could believe it.

As I reached forward, hoping that a tap on the glass would get her attention, Lady Walk slapped my hand away. "Gilly, it's dangerous!" She grabbed my arm and walked me back to my room. She said more on the way, but I was too wrapped up in my own thoughts. I couldn't understand how that beautiful woman could be dangerous. I am not crazy, I know that there are some dangerous people around here. I don't know why they aren't all locked away. But perhaps, she is locked away. Maybe she is dangerous.

After Lady Walk left me, I tried to ask Lady HDYF about the beauty. She said she didn't know about the woman in the glass room. I don't believe her. How could anyone not know about this woman. Although I guess I didn't know about her until I saw her. I would take Lady HDYF with me and introduce them, as much as a stranger like me could, but only Lady Walk will take me from my room. Lady HDYF is only for in the room. It gives me shivers thinking about Lady HDYF walking with me, and Lady Walk asking me questions.

My thoughts revolved around that woman, and for three days I was denied my walk. It was only until I realized I was hungry and ate food on the third day that they let me out. This time Lady Walk kept me far from the glass, but I didn't care. We were close enough that I could see Her. She was still sitting in that chair with that breathtaking beauty. Whatever she was looking at must be very interesting, because she was looking at it again.

Two weeks later I am able to get out of my room at night. I have to hide from two Ladies I don't know. I know that if they see me they will call Lady Mom. I don't want Lady Mom to yell at me. I make it to the glass. I take a moment and really look at her. She has long black waves that are perfectly curled. Her skin is nearly pure white and far less spotted than Lady HDYF. Her lips are a startling red color. I licked my lips in response. She was wearing the normal blue clothes that everyone but the Ladies and Lords wear. Although I seem to remember a boy wearing red... how odd. I shook the errant thought from my head and continued to watch the woman. She still didn't look at me. I wonder if she is sleeping, but even in the dim light I can see her staring straight, unblinking. She didn't even acknowledge me. But maybe she didn't notice.

I tap on the glass. Nothing. I tap again. Nothing. I try whispering as loud as I can without letting the Ladies and Lords know I am here. Still nothing. Maybe she can hear me, but I am just not important enough to her. I start whispering things to her, trying to change her mind. I tell her all about Lady Walk and Lady HDYF. I tell her about the three Lords I have seen recently, though I don't know their names. Time passes and I know that they will soon come to check up on me. I whisper my goodbyes and promise to visit her soon.

I have found a way to jam my door so it doesn't shut all the way. Now I can visit with the woman each night and tell her about my dreams. One day, I tell her about wishing I was free. I know that I am not a prisoner, that the world is just this way, but there are days I wish I could just leave. That's when I realize. She is waiting to be freed. She is just like the princesses I have read about in stories. I hope that I am the prince. I start to plan our escape.

The day I finally figure everything out, except how to get her out of the glass room, one of the other men in my area bit me! I wouldn't have cared except it was bleeding a lot and so all the Ladies rushed me away to the special room. A Lord came over and said the bite was fine. The man had snuck into my room, and the Ladies had found out about my jamming. They fixed the door and I couldn't get out. For weeks I willed the woman to look at me as Lady Walk and I passed. She didn't bat an eye. She believed that I had changed my mind. This only made me more determined to escape.

One of the men snuck into my room one night. He was whispering some nonsense about ghosts and goblins, made up childrens suff. But it is the escape I need. I quickly return to the woman and whisper apologies as I search for a door. Time passes quickly and I know this will be my only chance to free her. I glare at the glass, willing it to break apart and vanish. Next thing I know the glass shattered. I felt little flickers of pain all over my face, chest, and arms, and the world suddenly looked very different. But she was out.

As I watched with bated breath she turned to to me. Finally I could see the beautiful clear blue of her eyes. The relief made my knees weaken. "You are hurt." Her words make me shake my head fervently, it doesn't hurt that bad. Besides, the sound of her voice has caused my heart to beat rapidly. "Here, let me make it feel better." She holds her hand out to me. I almost don't dare to touch the dainty hand, but after waiting so long for her attention, I hold her hand.

The moment my hand touches her's all the pain is gone. The world still looked different, but all thoughts of this are swept away as she holds her other arm up. "Hold me?" This time I don't hesitate. I pull her from the chair and hold her fiercely. I am surprised at how light she feels. I turn to kiss her, but feel my face pull into a yawn. As soon as it is gone I grimace and apologize. "It's ok to sleep." I shake my head even as a sudden exhaustion seems to fill me.

"I have to get you away." I manage between two yawns.

"You are safe. Let's sleep for a little. It will all be better than." I want to argue, but her words are so calming. Besides, if she says it is ok to sleep now, she must know what she is talking about.

I considered taking her back to my room, but I suddenly recalled the plain room I have been living in. Instead I lay the both of us down right next to her room. As I move there is some sort of crunching noise, but I don't care. "It'll be ok." She whispers as I pull her into a cuddle. I manage a nod before darkness surrounds me.

* * *

It was Healer Smith that found the body of Gilderoy Lockhart. Soon after Lady Walk, or Madam Presin; and Lady HDYF, Madam Tress arrived. The three stood in near silence at the sight. Glass littered the floor around where Lockhart lay. It was obvious he had lain on top of the glass. His blood colored the floor around him. It was also obvious that he had damaged his left eye with glass. But almost more shocking was the doll in his arms.

The Sleeping Doll had been made during the First Wizard War. Most wounds could be healed easily, but there were some curses that were irreversible and put the patient in excruciating pain. These patients were given the Sleeping Doll. She would speak to them, numb the pain, and eventually cause them to fall asleep and die.

"But he wasn't in a lot of pain! It was only a mental affliction!" Madam Presin said, as tears started down her cheeks.

"But the injuries. Perhaps the doll saw them and thought he was in a lot of pain. It doesn't know the difference between incurable and curable. It just knows pain." Healer Smith guessed as he put a hand on Madam Presin's shoulder.

"But how...?" Madam Tress began. Seconds later, one of the nurses came running over. She told them how she had found a patient in Lockhart's room. Healer Smith nodded his thanks to the woman and she ran away from the sight.

"And the case?" Tress asked, her first question now answered.

"I'm guessing accidentle magic. He may have forgotten, but he is... was a wizard."

* * *

Two weeks later the doll was sitting in her glass case again. But she now had a blush to her previously pale cheeks.


End file.
